Surveillance footage from the hospital appeared to show Tommy Wayne Boyd leave the St. Louis hospital on foot early Thursday morning, according to police.
Boyd was last seen by staff at Mercy Hospital South, in the greater St. Louis area, just before 4 a.m. on Thursday, and police received a call reporting the escape from custody about 30 minutes later. The inmate was transferred Wednesday from the Potosi Correctional Facility to the hospital for treatment.
Surveillance footage from the hospital shows Boyd leaving the building on foot and"traveling in an unknown direction," authorities said. The St. Louis County Police Department released still images taken from that footage, in which Boyd appears to be wearing a dark jacket, orange slippers and light-colored gym shorts. Police described him as a 5-foot-7 white man with balding hair and a beard. It is not known whether the inmate is armed.
Authorities were actively investigating Boyd's escape on Thursday, and they warned residents in the area to be aware of their surroundings and promptly report any potential sightings by calling 911. Other tips can be reported to investigators at the St. Louis County Police Department or to Crime Stoppers, which would allow reporters to remain anonymous and possibly receive a reward for information, police said.
Tommy Wayne Boyd is seen in surveillance footage leaving Mercy Hospital South in St. Louis, Missouri, early Thursday morning, Sept. 21.Boyd's escape comes on the heels of several other instances in recent months where inmates fled custody while receiving hospital treatment. Earlier this month, officials in New York City located and returned to custody an escaped inmate, 44-year-old Yenchun Chen, who was arrested in late July for possession of a controlled substance,